Late Rally Comes Up Short Against Wildcats

The LMU softball team put up a fight against No. 14/19 Arizona in its lone game Friday, but a four-run first by the Wildcats was to much to rally back from in a 5-3 Lion loss at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. - The LMU softball team put up a fight against No. 14/19 Arizona in its lone game Friday, but a four-run first by the Wildcats was to much to rally back from in a 5-3 Lion loss at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.

For the third straight game, LMU (3-5) jumped on the board in the first inning, this time taking advantage of a pair of Wildcat fielding errors. With one out, Breeanna Sandovol reached on an error and Megan Harman drew a walk. After Olivia Alvarez fouled out to the catcher, Stephanie Crist reached on a fielding error by the third baseman while Sandovol scurried home on the play.

Arizona responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning, however, on a Chelsea Goodacre three-RBI home run and a Lauren Young RBI-single.

Goodacre added a solo shot in the third, pushing the Arizona lead to four, 5-1.

LMU got one run back in the fourth when Alvarez led off with a walk, advanced to second on a Crist ground out and scored on a two-out double down the left field line by Sterling Shuster.

The Lions tacked on another run in the sixth when pinch runner Meghan von Behren scored on a Shuster single through the right side. But Arizona relief pitcher Nancy Bowling recorded three consecutive strikeouts in the seventh to thwart LMU's potential comeback.

Shuster went 2-for-3 with two RBIs while Kathryn Dutton recorded the Lions only other hit in the game.

Dana Waldusky struggled in her second straight start, lasting just two innings in which she gave up six hits and one walk for five earned runs. She was replaced by Molly Medeiros who was able to quiet the Wildcat bats, scattering five hits and not allowing a run in the final four innings.

LMU closes out tournament play Sunday, facing Northwestern at 5:30 p.m. and UNLV at 8 p.m.